Do you teach your pitchers to be in a defensive position after the pitch? So many pitchers getting hit these days.

The short answer is no, I do not teach pitchers to finish in a defensive position.

Long answer:Finishing in a defensive position actually takes longer for a pitcher to finish her pitch. Most pitchers become pitchers because they are one of the most athletic on their league teams. I trust their natural reactions to protect themselves.

Being off balance and in motion as the batter makes contact delays their reaction time significantly. I teach girls to practice being finished and balanced before the catcher catches the ball.

Finishing in a defensive position also takes away from the pitch. A little slower and more difficult to locate the pitch when they try to spin like a carousel during their release to get in a defensive position.

I teach a motion that helps girls locate and hit spots. Allowing batters to make contact while moving the ball and changing speeds to reduce the amount of solid contact hits they allow.

With all that being said - I encourage the face masks if they wish. I have witnessed one ball to the face and the other team was using an illegal bat with a ridicule exit velocity rating. The other problem is when umpires have tight strike zones and force pitchers to throw down the middle.